As the fans of Extreme Championship Wrestling approach this coming Friday,
August 27th, and the debut of ECW coverage across the United States and
Canada on TNN...I think it's important to remember the man who is truly
responsible for all that has happened over the last six plus years of the
promotion's history...a man who left this world in 1995, Eddie Gilbert.

Eddie Gilbert was brought in by ECW founder Tod Gordon in 1993 to take what
was nothing more than a once-a-month bar promotion to a higher level. Eddie
was the man who together with Mick (Cactus Jack) Foley, brought the
tradition of hardcore wrestling into Philadelphia in 1991 with their
legendary matches in Joel Goodhart's Tri-State Wrestling Alliance, including
the legendary best of three falls match between the two at Philadelphia's
Convention Hall. Gilbert brought instant credibility to this upstart
promotion. With Eddie also came Terry Funk, who had recently done an
interview in the Pro Wrestling Torch about his idea for a "hardcore" style
wrestling TV show.

Gilbert also brought in Paul Heyman, the man most identify with ECW's
success. Many newer fans have conveniently forgotten the fact that without
Eddie Gilbert bringing Heyman in, Heyman would have never had the
opportunity to create the vision for ECW that has taken them to PPV and to
nationwide TV coverage in the United States and Canada.

The promotion, then called Eastern Championship Wrestling took what was a
giant step...going on TV on SportsChannel Philadelphia, a new tiny part-time
basic cable channel. Eastern Championship Wrestling held its first TV taping
at Cabrini College in suburban Delaware County in front of an audience of 60
people. But even then, the signs were out in the crowd..."Eddie's
Championship Wrestling".

With Gilbert's popularity, the small promotion quickly attracted attention
far out of proportion to its size, including mention in major Japanese
wrestling magazines. In May 1993, ECW moved its shows from Cabrini College
to the place that's been called "the world's most famous Bingo Hall", Viking
Hall... otherwise known as the ECW Arena. Then, in June 1993, when Eddie
Gilbert and Terry Funk went at it in the "Texas Chain Match Massacre"; the
promotion had what was then its largest crowd in history, with the match
seen across the country via the commercial tape that followed of the show.
In August 1993, many ECW fans got their first live exposure to Japanese
wrestling through W*ING workers The Headhunters, Miguelito Perez, Crash the
Terminator (WCW's Hugh Morris), and Mitsuhiro Matsunaga.

What some ECW fans remember best, though, is not just Eddie Gilbert's
Memphis-flavored in-ring product; but the humor Eddie featured on TV, and
his sense of humor in person. My personal favorites are the times he went to
Philadelphia's South Street and Delaware Avenue's Katmandu club posing as
the "King of Philadelphia" in full gimmick. Another classic was Eddie's
weekly on-air torturing of co-host Jay Sulli that left Sulli with the
nickname "Six Pack" that has lasted him to this day. One of his last classic
moments was his "match" with former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron
Jaworski at Jaworski's "Eagles Nest" restaurant...

On a more serious side, some of those who worked in ECW remember Eddie's
lessons on loyalty. Eddie had a last lesson to teach, in the way he left ECW
in September 1993 over personal and professional differences with Tod Gordon
and Paul Heyman. His last appearance was at UltraClash, where he made an
unannounced farewell from the ring. Gilbert had the perfect opportunity to
air dirty laundry and to bury the still-young company in the eyes of its
fans. He didn't. Instead, he explained that he was leaving, but told fans to
keep supporting the company. There should be no question in the mind of any
intelligent wrestling fan that what Eddie Gilbert did paved the way for the
later successes of ECW, its entrance into the PPV market, and this coming
Friday's TV debut throughout the United States and Canada.

Eddie Gilbert was never a saint. He'd be the first to tell you that. His
excesses are well-known, and require no comment. But Eddie's death in 1995
left many who loved him and his style with a empty feeling in their hearts
that will never be truly filled. It can safely be said that no one of his
generation loved the business more than Thomas Edward Gilbert, Jr. did. I
can say that personally from all the people I know who worked for and with
Eddie. I can also say that he touched those people with his lessons of
staying loyal, of always remembering to laugh, and of always being a fan of
the business he worked in.

All of those qualities, and all of those memories, will be celebrated on
Friday, October 1 and Saturday, October 2; at the Fourth Annual Eddie
Gilbert Memorial Weekend, held this year at the Ramada Inn in Vineland, NJ;
and at Vineland Senior High School. The Memorial will begin with a Memorial
Banquet on Friday evening at the Ramada Inn at 8:00 pm. Tickets are priced
at $50.

On Saturday, the day will begin with a Fan Convention from 10:00 am to 5:00
pm. Tickets for the Eddie Gilbert Memorial Convention, held at Vineland
Senior High School, are $8 in advance, $10 at door. There will be Eddie
Gilbert Memorial Weekend merchandise as well as other merchandise available
at the Convention. For those wishing to operate a vendor table, please
contact Kathy Fitzpatrick at (609) 627-5123.

The Memorial Weekend will finish with the fourth annual Eddie Gilbert
Memorial Brawl, also held at Vineland Senior High School, with a bell time
of 8:00 pm. Tickets are $18 Golden Ringside/$16 Ringside/$13 General
Admission. A combo ringside/golden ringside and dinner gets you a free
Convention pass.

Other wrestlers and those within the wrestling business will be honored at
the Eddie Gilbert Memorial Weekend, including former WWF referee Joey
Marella (who I spoke about in my July 4th PWBTS As I See It column) who died
in July 1994 in an automobile accident.

Those planning to stay at the Ramada Inn in Vineland should make
reservations directly with the Ramada at (609) 692-8600. Please note that
the Ramada Inn is smaller than last year's site, the Radisson Hotel in
Philadelphia. If you're choosing to stay there for the Gilbert Weekend,
reservations are recommended immediately.

If you were ever a fan of Eddie Gilbert, or if you consider yourself a fan
of the wrestling business, you need to stop and remember someone who loved
the business more than anything in his life, and who contributed everything
he had to it.

For information on the Eddie Gilbert Memorial, call the NWA offices at (609)
848-4708 or (609) 627-5123.